Asparagus is one of my favorite veggies harvested in the spring. I just love the rich flavor of this uniquely shaped vegetable and the many ways to prepare it. Mmmmm…..
Did you know there are 20 different types of edible asparagus? The most common type is what you see at the grocery store or the farmer’s market—green asparagus. It grows in flatbeds and receives sunlight, which is how it gets its green color. Another slightly less common type is the white asparagus. It’s grown in soil, does not receive sunlight, and is generally milder in flavor and more tender than green asparagus. A third type of asparagus that you might see is purple asparagus (remember the importance of eating a rainbow?). It is only about 3 inches tall and is much more fruity in flavor.
Asparagus is an excellent source of:
Cooking Asparagus
You can boil, roast, grill, steam, or sauté it. It lends itself very well to various seasonings and sauces such as olive oil, sea salt, garlic, turmeric, butter, and lemon. I also love making a vegan asparagus pureed soup that is delicious (low calorie and high in fiber).
As with cooking all vegetables, be sure to practice methods that preserve their nutrition. Since many of the vitamins are water soluble, if you cook them in water (boil, steam, etc.), many of the nutrients will be lost in the water. Try not to overcook them.
Purée of Asparagus Soup
Ingredients:
Directions:
Enjoy. Be Well, Be NutritionWise.
~ Nicole Meadow, MPN, RD, CSP, CLC
This post is solely for informational purposes. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for medical advice. Before undertaking any course of treatment or dietary changes, you should seek the advice of your physician or other health care provider.
Hello, working folks! You know you fall into this category (regardless of what type of work you do) if you: (1) wake up in the morning and (2) go to work. So, that probably accounts for a vast majority of you. And, if you’re like me, you probably wear many different hats and fit into the student and busy parent categories, too. By using the strategies from all the profiles, you’ll keep yourself happy, healthy, and fit on a daily basis.
Based on my experience as a dietitian, the most common challenges that working folks face are:
How can you balance your work schedule and your commitment to yourself? Although you might not be able to change what you do at work, the strategies discussed below will help you organize your kitchen and prepare meals and snacks ahead of time. You’ll find that making this adjustment is easy and actually adds time to your daily routine, so you can squeeze in that much-needed down time after a crazy day working at the office or from home.
No time for breakfast? Just like for students, breakfast is very important and will help jumpstart your day. Try leaving something out the night before (fruit and almonds) or making overnight slow cooker oatmeal, so food is ready for you when you wake up. With just a few easy steps, you will be eating a healthy breakfast and on your way to making healthy choices the rest of the day.
No time to exercise? Exercise is important for every part of our body, including the mind. The difficult part for most people is beginning a new routine, especially when you feel short on time. Try carving out 10 minutes for an activity you enjoy: yoga, a hike, a walk at lunchtime. Partner up with a workout buddy to make this new habit last. Once you’ve started your new routine, you can add more time to it or increase the frequency. There are even some great online activities that you can do from your desk!
Can’t stay away from vending machines during the afternoon snack crash? This is a very common time to get hungry. If you are not prepared with a healthy snack, you fall victim to the dreaded vending machine. Luckily, some companies are swapping out their junk food for healthier fare. Until that becomes the norm, though, bring a snack that contains either protein (e.g., nuts, cheese, yogurt, edamame) or fiber (e.g., fruit, vegetable) and drink water to get you over the hump. Fruit is great because it often satisfies the sweet craving that many people have at this time of day, while protein and fiber help keep you satiated so that you don’t get hungry again in 30 minutes.
Eating dinner out too often? Dinners out happen from working a lot, too late, and even taking clients out. I’ve found time and time again, if you start the day off right with a healthy breakfast and eat a healthy snack that you’re positioning yourself to make a good choice at dinner. If time (or lack of it) is getting in the way of making dinner, create a weekly meal plan on Saturday or Sunday. What nights will you be staying home? What will you make? Go to the market and get prepared! If you know that you have chicken breasts and a salad in the house that you already purchased, you’re more likely to go home and make them than if you’re at work at 7 PM and still need to stop at the market.
Stay tuned for more tips and tricks to come…
Be Well, Be NutritionWise.
~ Nicole Meadow, MPN, RD of NutritionWise
This post is solely for informational purposes. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for medical advice. Before undertaking any course of treatment or dietary changes, you should seek the advice of your physician or other health care provider.
Paging all students! Are you running from class to class and running on empty? Up all night studying? Working and going to school? Is your refrigerator empty? Do you find yourself eating on the run? Are you getting lots of calories from liquids (coffee, tea, soda, etc.) and convenient processed foods?
I remember throughout my many years of school when I could answer “yes” to these questions (I am blushing). It was difficult to juggle all of the balls that I had in the air at the same time. But these are very common pitfalls for the modern student.
The day is busy (an understatement) and so is the night. Many students not only go to school, but also work full time and then have to fit in assignments and studying. With this schedule, eating is done on the run…whenever there is time and often without a lot of thought or planning. If you add up all the time (and money) spent with this type of an eating plan, you often spend more. And usually the nutrient value of this diet is less and the calories/fat consumed is greater, often leading to weight gain.
Keep reading to learn how to manage an extremely busy schedule and lead a healthy lifestyle with a small amount of planning.
1. Be prepared.
2. Eat on a schedule. Have 3 meals and 1-2 snacks (Yes, breakfast is important! Keep fruit or nuts in your dorm room, if needed, to jump-start your day.). Eating 1-2 large meals daily rather than several small meals throughout the day decreases attention and is bad for your metabolism. If you are overly hungry (by only eating 1 large meal), it is much more difficult to make good choices and stick to your plan. Research shows that people who eat regular meals and snacks make more healthful choices, including eating more fruits and veggies.
3. Fiber! Many students, due to their busy schedules, are lacking fruits and veggies (a huge source of fiber). Fruits and veggies are not only the best source of antioxidants (keeping your brain in tip-top shape for school), but also are rich in fiber and low in calories which keeps you full on a low calorie budget. Make sure you get your 5-9 servings daily!
4. Drink water! Limit calories from beverages (coffee, tea, soda, lemonade, etc.). Sugar and high fructose corn syrup are not doing your body any justice. Replace them with good ol’ fashioned water and you will feel great!
5. Exercise. Remember, small attainable steps. Walk to class, join yoga, and investigate where the closest gym is—it’s good for the mind and the body.
Stay tuned for more tips and tricks to come…
Be Well, Be NutritionWise.
~ Nicole Meadow, MPN, RD of NutritionWise
This post is solely for informational purposes. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for medical advice. Before undertaking any course of treatment or dietary changes, you should seek the advice of your physician or other health care provider.
March begins the prime season for buying fresh artichokes. This unique looking vegetable brings back so many memories from my childhood. We used to have them frequently at our family dinners, taking turns pulling the delicious leaves, eating them one by one until we got to the prized center—the artichoke heart. It was difficult to share this part, but we found a way to divvy it up and savor every bite!
Artichokes are an excellent source of fiber with more than 9-10 grams in a medium artichoke (that’s more than a third of what an adult needs in a day). They are also a rich source of potassium, magnesium, Vitamin C, and folate. According to the USDA, artichokes are one of the most antioxidant rich foods, making them a superfood that you should include on your shopping list this week!
I know this superfood can look intimidating, as many people have told me that they pass by the artichoke in the market because they just don’t know how to prepare them. Well, fear no more! Here is a quick and simple guide to preparing and eating artichokes. Remember, artichokes are the superfood. If you dip every single leaf in butter or mayonnaise, you are adding a lot of saturated fat and calories. Try to moderate the sauces and enjoy the flavor of the vegetable in its natural state!
1. If the artichokes have little thorns on the end of their leaves, use kitchen scissors to cut the tips off the leaves. This step is mostly for aesthetics as the thorns soften with cooking.
2. Slice about 3/4 inch to an inch off the top of the artichoke.
3. Cut excess stem, leaving up to an inch on the artichoke.
4. Rinse the artichokes in running cold water. You can leave it upside down in a bowl of cold water to very thoroughly clean it.
5. To Steam: Put a couple inches of water in a large bottle. Insert a steaming basket. Add the artichokes. Cover. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 25 to 45 minutes or until the outer leaves can easily be pulled off. You can also grill the artichoke on the BBQ or roast in the oven after you steam them for more flavor.
Enjoy!
Be Well, Be NutritionWise.
~ Nicole Meadow, MPN, RD of NutritionWise
This post is solely for informational purposes. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for medical advice. Before undertaking any course of treatment or dietary changes, you should seek the advice of your physician or other health care provider.
Folate (or a folic acid supplement) is particularly important for women who are pregnant or about to become pregnant to prevent the birth defect spina bifida and other neural tube defects. I work in a large spina bifida clinic and train many aspiring dietitians. One of the things they tell me at the end of the day is, “I am going home and making sure to take my vitamins!”
Because these defects typically occur before a woman even knows she is pregnant, it is crucial that all women of childbearing age take a folic acid supplement. This is why I call folic acid the “pre-pregnancy vitamin.” If you are thinking about having a baby, start taking a supplement in advance of getting pregnant! Ideally, try to find a supplement that has minimal additives, fillers, and is free of dyes and preservatives.
What exactly is Folate?
Folate is a water-soluble vitamin found in leafy green vegetables (spinach, kale, collard greens), organ meats, asparagus, oranges, strawberries, legumes, and whole grains. Folic Acid is a form of folate that is found in dietary supplements and fortified grains/cereals. Food fortification of folate began in 1998 providing 140 mcg folic acid per 100 mg food. This is why you see folic acid in most of the grains and cereals that you purchase in the market that would not naturally be sources of folic acid. The synthetic form of folic acid in vitamins and fortified foods is very well absorbed by the body.
So what does Folate do?
This vitamin helps tissues in the body grow and also helps to prevent anemia. Folate works with vitamin C and vitamin B12 to help the body break down, use, and then create new proteins. The vitamin helps form red blood cells and produce DNA, which is the building block of the human body! As you can see, it has VERY important functions in the body.
So exactly how much do you need each day?
Be Well, Be NutritionWise.
~ Nicole Meadow, MPN, RD of NutritionWise
This post is solely for informational purposes. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for medical advice. Before undertaking any course of treatment or dietary changes, you should seek the advice of your physician or other health care provider.
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